ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 277 



and although there is no direct outlet into the waters of the Owhyhee, a tributary 

 of the Columbia, yet tlie waters from these lakes break out in a series of large 

 sprinpfs on the east side of a low divide, forminj^ the head of Crooked Creek, 

 which, after a course of about fifteen miles, joins the Owhyhee. There can be 

 no doubt but that the waters from Stein's mountain are drained by these springs, 

 as the waters of the lakes along the foot of the mountains are comparatively 

 sweet and drinkable, which would not be tlie case were there no drainage for 

 the waters. In fact, it is highly probable that the waters of Trout Creek are 

 drained subterraneously into the waters of Stein's valley, as fish live at the sink 

 of the creek, which they would not do were the whole of the waters removed by 

 evaporation. From these facts it is evident that the divide between the waters 

 of the Gnat Basin and of the Columbia is the ridge 1 have pointed out in latitude 

 41° 33" N., longitude 113° 29' E., and that instead of being 1,800 feet above 

 the level of the Humboldt, it is not more than 400 feet above the valley, in about 

 the same meridian, 1,000 feet above the lowest part of the sink of that river, 

 and 600 feet above the level of the Salt Lake basin. Whether this is the lowest 

 divide between the waters of the Columbia and the Great Basin, further investi- 

 gations must determine. The largest beach raarlis, which are so plainly visible 

 in so many places on the sides of mountain ranges, from the Watsatch mountains 

 to the Sierras, are, I believe, found at about this elevation, so that it is probable 

 that at least for a long period the waters of the basin stood at about the height 

 of this divide I have pointed out. I am, however, of opinion that there are other 

 places in which the present edge of the basin will be found low. On each side 

 of the north end of the Santa Eosa range of mountains, at the head of the west 

 fork of Queen's river, to the west, and also at the head of Paradi-^e Valley, to 

 the east, low passes undoubtedly e.xist. Not having travelled over them, I am 

 unable to speak as to their absolute height : but from their appearance I believe 

 they are higher than that in the Vicksburg range. Leading up to the divide, 

 from the south, is a broad valley, which gradually rises about six hundred feet 

 in a distance of twenty-four miles. To the north of the divide are two broad 

 valleys, separated by a low spur of granite with basaltic axis. The extent of 

 these valleys is such as to preclude the possibility of tlieir having been formed 

 by any drainage from the surrounding hills. Another indication of the existence 

 of strong currents fiowing to the north, in this part of the basin, is furnished by 

 a long promontory of gravel stretching out from the north end of the Bottle 

 Creek range of mountains, and which was evidently formed by the meeting of 

 two powerful currents from the east and west side of the range in their course 

 towards the divide. This l3ank of shingle extends about three miles from the 

 point of the mountain in a northerly direction. It has been cut through by 

 Queen's river, which here makes a bend to the south. The gravel ridare 

 extends about a quarter of a mile beyond the river, its point apparently having 

 been washed away by the waters from Wheeler Creek. As already stated, the 

 height of the divide above the level of Queen's River Valley is about six hundred 

 feet, but I am of opinion that other outlets must exist, which allowed the waters 

 of the Basin to attain a still lower level, before their disappearance solely by 

 evaporation began. There must, however, have been a large body of water left 



